Conventional asynchronous transfer mode access devices used for obtaining a broadband connection to the internet must be configured to use the specific packet encapsulation method required by the provider of the broadband connection service before use. This complication results in either increased manufacturing costs for the access devices if the configuration is done at the factory or more costly customer service if the configuration must be done at the customer's site
FIG. 1 illustrates how a conventional access device (30 and 40) is connected to the internet 60. End user's computer equipment (10, 11, 12, 21, 22, or 23) is connected to an asynchronous transfer mode access device (30 or 40) using direct connection or a local network (15 or 25). Before the asynchronous transfer mode access device (30 or 40) can provide a connection to the internet 60, it must be configured to meet the packet encapsulation, Virtual Path Identifier, and virtual Channel Identifier requirements of the equipment in the central office 50. Once the asynchronous transfer mode access device (30 or 40) is configured, data communication over a phone line, cable line, microwave transmission, radio-frequency, or other communication channel (35 or 45) can proceed.
The equipment in the central office 50 manages data flow to and from the asynchronous transfer mode access devices (30 and 40). The equipment in the central office 50 also manages data flow to and from the internet 60 using its own internet connection 55, routing the information back to the correct individual end user's computer equipment (10, 11, 12, 21, 22, or 23).
Although conventional methods for automatically configuring the asynchronous transfer mode access devices (30 and 40) when the asynchronous transfer mode access devices are installed has been proposed. These methods are complicated in that they require changes in the central office 50 as well as in the asynchronous transfer mode access devices (30 and 40). The required changes in the central office to implement the methods are barriers to market acceptance.
Another method for configuring the asynchronous transfer mode access devices is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,505, entitled “Method For Service Provisioning A Broadband Modem.” The entire content of U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,505 is hereby incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,505 discloses a way for multiple internet service providers to be serviced by one network service provider, requiring special software to reside on the end user's computer equipment. The network service provider must implement a special configuration to support the method. Although this method provide a way to configure asynchronous transfer mode access devices, the method fails to address the problem of the need for special configuration of the central office, which, as noted above, is a barrier to market acceptance.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a method of automatically configuring an access device without requiring special changes to the configuration of the central office. Moreover, it is desirable to provide a method that eliminates the need for the end user to configure the virtual path identifiers, virtual channel identifiers, and asynchronous transfer mode adaptation layer 5 encapsulation on asynchronous transfer mode based network access devices to enable the data transfer to and from a central office gateway.
It is further desirable to provide a method that eliminates the need for the end user to configure the virtual path identifiers, virtual channel identifiers, and asynchronous transfer mode adaptation layer 5 encapsulation on asynchronous transfer mode based network access devices to enable the data transfer to and from a central office for networks that use static internet protocol address assignments.
Also, it is desirable to provide a method that eliminates the need for the end user to configure the virtual path identifiers, virtual channel identifiers, and asynchronous transfer mode adaptation layer 5 encapsulation on asynchronous transfer mode based network access devices to enable the data transfer to and from a central office for networks that use non-static internet protocol address assignments.